Mounting assembly



Aug. 17, 1948. c. v. x-:RlcKsoN .2,447,171

MOUNTING Assmflm Filed Nov. 4, 19,46vr

A TTOR EY.

Patented Aug. 17, 1948 signor lto 'Speeru&-1Koeng,3Kafnsas-'City; ,Moal a? copartnershipr composed ofifJ oseph (r.r Speer and.i

Herbert (zklioenig'rt Tfiisffinvention'lrelates vto/mountingf assemblies andfmorespecically-to'devices'having;aipiuralityl ofiangularlylarranged siia-ft'sandrollers'p'articularly'ad'aptedior'use withiradioffdirectionfinders:

In 1theeld-ioi"radie'fdirection-f finders; Y Wherein affrotatablefdirectional 'antenna-eis" utilized; have' inga-Aprii'nef--nioveri'adaptdtf-tol oscillate" the '1 antennafabeutiaverticalfax" it lias-`loeen;-foundide.` siralolz` tol-lcevelop. aL-device for. removing continual'irre-gularl'variations of hunting- "inherent in Ifsucl'i a'sserrrlzlies:lrv Itri We-lllknownvv byf'those skilled-'2in the# alf-tfY tirati radio '-direction` nders; Having.EN meansII` frff automatically fcontrellin'g the direction-off 'rotationi ofith'e. directional antenna trirouglirlcontrol' means-i: for the=primre mover' therefor-*im accordanceF-Withl tlief strength of "the incoming-signal, produce motion Lfirregularitiesvor hunti-ngf Am =obvious=1arrangement or device` forvaccomplishi-ng thisf elimination or reductionl ofi-'l'motionirregularities Wouldfconsis'tiof av'systeni-- of masses,ffor1'ilSiWlIeelfand spring combinatinss: A'Lsomevviiatdi'ssipati-ve loadiis usually: re#- quiredi'andr the mass'mayibe reduced orfeliminated ifl'the spring orlspringswork into a'fsuitablefload; i.v` e-:- ay load'fvvhese fresis'tancesvaries'-inLmiagYn-itu'de as'veloeity-1"varies?! Serious` defects`V have been foundtlirouglrruseoizfs'uchlmetlriodsifofattenuat# ing' Hunting-f especiallyWhereilimitations' ofdampingg spacef and-mass-lex-i'stt- Y It'listlfeiprimaryobjectoflthis invention, there'- fore,'t provider-a mounting assemblyl or`l device fdrn removing' continuarirregular-1' variations;v Which isi/free from i -theaabove describeddefects inlthatlth'e same' isp-rovided'with-certain positive drive characteristicslto ftlie' end:l that -the load carriedthereby does-1"notiniluence:z its operati-on; A'n important-' objecti otFtI-iislinvention is to provide a mountingvv assembly--` Wliich :derivesf its operating;powerrvir'om the-hunting o-f` the motions'y which it attnuatesrather than tirougli the-employment of Ian auxiliary drive-source.-

A'n'otlierf importantiA object? of? tliisinvention is tohprovide afmounting devicehavixg a plurality off''sHaft?andifrolleri assemblies cooperating ftf reduce t'olfaYminimum'ior:zeroitli'rotational :movement Wliichl-thedrive' sha-ftimparts-'to'l'thedriven sha-ft F' upon reversal? of the-direction '-xorfrot'a-tion of the drive shaft and thence to progressively increase therspeedfrotation offthe driven shaft in the oppositeidirectio'ntea.predetermined rate.

A further object of this invention is to provide.y inl armountinge assembly;` having* af drive shaft-:and "as-:drivenl-ishaft; av paiifof .rollrsdisposed inimutual-peripheral, frictional `contactand each simultanecruslwrevolvableonaant-axisperpendicu- 2 ,Y lar-toi-its' axisirof'rotaton a's thezsarne rotates; :toi tl'e end that?" oneizofsaid'rollers Ai is'fdriven fbyflthe': otli'erl roller inA response, to'rrotationzof the drive shaft andiith'ef driven rollertends 'to seelaaxnewi f relative" axial alignment;with:7 tlfe driveirol'lerr' each time the direction 'of-r rotationoiatiieedrive shaftl is` reversed;Y thereby?e removing f', irregular: variations inffth'erotational-'motion of;.t1ie driven shaft. s

A' still 1;' further' object Ythis inventiom istA to: prov-ide: a mounting? ass'emblyx'having;ai'k roller'l Wfhichlk is simul-tancou-sly:v4 rotated and @revolved abouti `an @axisi perpendicularr-to: its: axis=-of rota:- tioni response ato: rotation fofi'a .drives shattsir'r eitherfldirectiong:andfa second: roller: likewise simultaneously rotatable f andi' revolvablef in-z re:V sponse Ito'l tlie: revolving motion of the'rst' roller; al-lsto thelendtha'tithe second'frollr"tends" to seek v one. of two psitions of 'relative iaxialv:aligmI ment withfthefrstlrollen depending uponwthefy direction of if rotation;` vofi-fthe drive shaft,r.and:.tln`e driven shaft; therebyf progressively; increasesr in speecli` of rotation:'asoneafof'i suclr axialraligm, ment: positions is:l approached:

Ad ditional 'obj ects 1 of :this '1 invention r which fre; lat'elmore specieally to the' purelyy structuraldetails' thereof, includeuth'eV mannen of transe mitti-ng` simultaneous: rotational: and revolving motionto the driv'e'frollen'from-rotational :moves mentlof the -driveshaft; the 1 Way in'vwhich' .the driven: rollerv isI mounted to receive vsuch simu-1e taneousf revolvingf and,l rotational rnotion: the manner in'vvhich the. 2moti0ns.;present in the driv-fen ,roller are .transmitted .into rotational move; ment in;A the,y driven shaft; and@ thernanner in which the speed: of rotation oflztheldriven'shait is progressively? decreased` and then: increasedrfupon. reversalrof the' directiomof: rotation'zoiwthedriveshaftthx'oughthe uniquedisposition and' mutua-l engagement-ofthe drive and driven-shafts,VV

Manyv minor. objects Will-.be madel clear or become: apparent during the-:course offthe 4followingfspecication, referring? to the accompanying drawings', Wherein,

Fig; 1"is'1arside:elevational'vievvflof the mountingzassemblyfmadein accordance'with' my pres'-v entfinventionl-parts lbeing* brokenfaway ,for clear+ ness;.

Fig.. 2-is alside'elevationa'lfview thereofr taken ataright angleto Fig. 1, otherrparts-beingfbroken awayyior; clearnessfin detail of f construction.

Fig; 3' is--va cross-sectional.-vievvftakenv on. lin'e III-"-III ,oir-Figi: 1.'A Y

Fig- 4 :is :a lcrossesectional View takenion:v line IVe-Ivor :Rigi: 1; .andi

Fig. 5 is a schematic detailed top plan view of the rollers per se, showing their relative positions and illustrating their respective revolving movements.

While it is contemplated that the mounting assembly about to be described be used primarily with rotatable antennas used in radio direction finders, due to the necessity of eliminating irregular motions in the antenna which emanate from constantly changing motions in the prime mover therefor, it is understood that this assembly may well be used in many other fields where it is desired to transmit or indicate axial motions or positions from a driving element to a driven ele# ment and remove irregularities in motion inherent in the driving element before such axial motion is transmitted to the driven element.

In the drawings a framework, generally designated by the numeral IB, comprises a cylindrical housing I2 having the ends thereof closed by a pair of heads I4 and I6, which are held in closing position by a pair of threaded bolts or the like IB. Heads I4 and I6 have bearings 20 and 22 for mouting a driven shaft 24 and a drive shaft 26 respectively. Drive shaft 26 may be rotated by any suitable prime mover (not here shown) capable of rotating the same in either direction, and driven shaft 24 is likewise rotatable in either direction. Shafts 24 and 26 are disposed in substantial axial alignment and the proximal ends thereof are in spaced apart relation as is clear in Figs. 1 and 2. Drive shaft 26 carries a substantially U-shaped yoke 28 at the innermost end thereof, which yoke is preferably integral with shaft 26, and the legs 30 and 32 thereof each have an opening 34 for receiving a pair of bearings 36. These bearings 36 journal a shaft 38 which shaft 38 in turn has a roller 40 fixed thereto. When -assembled this roller 40 is disposed substantially midway between legs 36 and 32 of yoke 28. It is clear, therefore, that rotation of drive shaft 26 will cause shaft 38 and roller 46 carried thereby to revolve kabout an axis in alignment with the axis of rotation of drive shaft 26. A pair of bearings'42 and 44 disposed near the outermost ends of shaft 38 each carry rollers 46 and 48 respectively. Each of these rollers 46 and 48 is free to rotate on shaft 38 in one direction through the medium of an annular ring 50, seated in a cavity 52 formed in head I6. This head I6 has a continuous annular cavity 54 within which is disposed a number of springs 56, each having one end thereof bearing against a stub pin 58, mounted in the lowermost edge of ring 56. A one direction automatic clutch is provided for each of the rollers 46 and 48, one being a left hand clutch and the other a right hand clutch, which may be constructed in one of several ways. The undirectional clutches which have been chosen for illustration, constitute a pair of coiled springs 60 and 62, each having a diameter to provide a close t about the shaft 38. One end of each of the springs 66 and 62 is fixed to rollers 46 and 48 respectively to the end that one direction of rotation of each of the rollers will result in a slight friction between the springs and the shaft 38 and will cause the spring to unwind slightly thereby reduce the friction and permitting the same to slip in that direction. In the 'other direction of rotation of a given roller 46 or 48, friction between its spring and shaft 38 causes the coil spring to tighten its coils and bind on the shaft 38, thus giving a positive drive in that direction. In other words, in one direction of rotation of the drive shaft 26, roller 48 will drive vllo 4 shaft 38 but the roller 46, rotating in the opposite direction through the medium of frictional contact thereof with ring will slip on shaft 38 because of the inoperative action of its spring 60. When the direction of rotation of the shaft 26 is reversed, roller 46 will drive shaft 38, because of the frictional contact or tightening of its coil spring about shaft 38 but the spring 62 will slip and permit free rotation of its roller 4B. It is obvious therefore, that shaft 38 and its central roller 46 will always rotate in only one direction irrespective ofthe direction of rotation of shaft 26. It is also evident from the construction just described that rotation of shaft 26 in either direction will cause roller 40 to simultaneously revolve and rotate.

The `construction vof the associated parts of driven shaft 24 is'substantially the same as described With respect to drive shafts 26. A yoke 64 integral with the innermost end of shaft 24 rotatably carries a shaft 66 through the medium of bearings 68, between which is rdisposed a roller 1U rigidly xed to shaft 66. Also rigidly fastened to the shaft 66 at one end thereof is roller 12, which runs on a circular track 14 secured to head I4. It is also desirable to provide a freely rotating roller 16 at the opposite end of shaft 66, also disposed to run on track 14. Thi-s will balance the forces opposing axial thrust of shafts 26 and 24 but will have no effect on their respective rotational movements. It is clear in Figs. 1 and 2 that rollers 46 and 18 are in peripheral, frictional contact and are held in such engageable relation through the action of springs 56, which springs 56 also hold rollers 12 and 16 in frictional con- Vtact with the circular track 14 on head I4. When revolving and rotating motion is imparted to roller 46 through rotation of drive shaft 26, such movement will be transmitted to roller 10, which is also revolvable about an axis in substantial alignment with the axis of rotation of driven shaft 24 or on an axis perpendicular to its own axis of rotation. When roller 16 is rotated by roller 4U, roller 12 will run on track 14, changing the axial directionv of rotation of shaft 66 and roller 10 carried thereby. Roller 40 contacts roller 'I6 with moderate pressure to the end that rotation of roller 10 may occur, the amount depending upon the relative axial position of rollers 4I) and 10. Rotational motion applied to drive shaft 26 will cause the rollers 46 and 10 to become aligned at right angles to each other except for the hunting motion which is attenuated and modified as hereinafter more fully described. As above set forth, rotation of drive shaft 26 causes the shaft 38 to rotate about its axis and hence rotation of the roller 40. Roller 46 being in frictional contact with the rollers 10 causes the latter to rotate together with shaft 66 and roller 12. Rotating of roller 12 on track 14 causes rotation of shaft 24. The rotational speed of shaft 24 is directly related to rotational speed of shaft 26 by a factor, which may be designated by the letter K. K is a constant determined by the several roller and track diameters and may be expressed as follows, assuming the letter D to designate the various ydiameters of the 'shafts and rollers:

It is evident that when shafts 38 and 66 are not parallel but are at right angles, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, rotation of roller 46 will not cause rotation of the roller 16' but will merely s544731x s slipf on "its surface: Thisvninetyfdegree displace# ment' between the Vaxial positionsof shafts '38iandfi 66X-is thenormal position thereoffor the positionl of equilibrium, Rotation ofi-the roller 402' which can only -be producedrby 'the' rotationl of the: drive shaft 26; will produce a departure fromthexninet'y degree posit-ion of lequilibrium-.so that a compo-- nent causinga rotation ofthe roller 1U" results*y and'y hence-rotation of the shaft 24. This componentis,l of course, equalto the sine of the-angle of-'departure from equilibrium, if the angularposition of the shaft 2-6 be represented by the sym; bol A and the angular departure off shaft 24'from' the position-of equilibrium by the symbol IJ', this relationshipmay be expressed by oneldifferential equationl:

dA l--K sin b Now it is evident that as shaft 2B is rotated from a position of equilibrium at'auniform-speed shaft'24 will-tend to followit. The speed of' rotationN of shaft 24 willnot, howeveigbe uniform' sinceA it will gradually increase as the angular departure` of shaft 24 from the position of equilibrium increases.

If the direction of rotation of'shaft 26 is re'- versed,y the unidirectional. clutchesV formed vby springs 60'and162 will vcauseroller 40 to continue rotating in the same directionirrespective of its direction of revolution. Shaft 24 will, however, continue tov rotate in the'original direction until the angle bY becomesl zero; at which point'shaft 24* willl reverse itsdirection of rotation and follow the shaft 26 inthe newdirection but laggingA behind it. In this manner angular oscillations or hunting 'present in' the 'shaftY 2S, as'thedirection of rotation thereof is changed are att'enuatedin vthe shaft 24. The degree of attenuation obtainable is governed'fby thel factor K as determined by the severalroller'and'track diameters. Small oscillationsrof the shaft 26 whereA the angle b never becomes great will result in greatattenuations, whereas increasedv time intervalsbetween reversals ofv shaft 26 will increase the size yof angle. band reduce the amount of attenuation in the shaft 24.`

It is further evident fromithe, foregoing: that as the average angular positionof `theshaft-ZS is changed shaft 24 will make the same angular change to a new position of equilibrium. The

relativegfeffects of the hunting in shaft 26 are' necessary to' bringY the shaft 24ft0` the positionn of equilibrium.

It is'to be noted that thereare two 'positions where the axis of shaft 38 and BS are ninety degrees from eacrrother: lIrroneof'these positions, however, equilibrium does not4 exist and in this position the'. rotative affect ofV thev hunting in shaft 2S drives the shaft 24 from this position. If this hunting continues, shaft 24 will soon rotate 180 degrees to the other position Where equilibrium does exist. Therefore, there is no 180 degree ambiguity,

Assuming the various parts of the mounting assembly to be in the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rotation of the shaft 25 in one di- Y rection results in simultaneous rotational and revolving motion in the roller 40, which revolving motion is in the same direction as the direction of rotation of shaft 26. At the outset of such revolving motion of the roller 4B, roller 'lil will fail to respond and the rollers will merely slide at their points of frictional contact. As roller 40 is caused to continue to rotate and revolve, roller Y 6j Wfwillst'art to revolvef=iithe same direction-ibut attaJ lessert speed itlianl'nthattof roller-Milla Suchfrevolvingfmotion roller.V 'Hlff'wi'llial'so causefsiw multaneousrotation thereof through'fthefmedium:

track-145 If this-action continues, roller "l-ilflwill' followrollerllfarrdthe axial'displacement there-- of:r fromE roller*l 4D Willi" gradually decrease --until the plane of tli'eaxisof rotatiolr of;roller"lllis-ini` alignment@ with4 the V` plane? of: axis lofi rotation if 'of roller 40' At -thisf'pointi the rollers 407iar-1d HTW-ill either be rotatingiin the -samedirectionori-intopfpoisitef di'rectior-i's;l depending upon ther-initialL di;y rection1 offrotationfsof the drive shaft/"26.` If'rollers-#wand 'loarerrotating" in theopposite direc-f tions-.at this pointrollr v'llllwill be driven-directly bjrolleiLA 4than'didi'iven't shaft f2 4iwil12` rotate` atfits maximum@ speed. Di'ri'ven shaft 241 inay'- orJ may not' rotate: at: the'same .speed-as drivel shaftizif depending upon the-)irelativesdiameter offth'e variiousirollers and-" tracks inlaccordance with the operation desired.'

VIf'ithiefrollers 4 ll'andf'lT are rotating: inthe same direction; at' the momentl they rstl reach la rela^rvolveat a` progressivelyI` increasedfspeed 'untilt it grardu-allyy approachesn the opposite positionsof`4 axialfalignment. Atithislpoint; the rollers `liil'arid l0r4 will"travelinopposite directions Where rol-ler 405'1Wi11fdiive'-roller T0. Throughoutsuch limite ingv ofi roller A'l'llf'ofthe:correctrelative position of alignmen'tflwith rollerVv 40,' tHe speedI oft-rotationi off'shaft' 24lW-ill'graduallylincreasa- I l Upon reversal* ofi'the direction of@ rotation* of shaft' '12621 shaf 24 willicontinuey'1 t'o rotate;v iny the'l original' direction and'its speed'E of rotatiOn'will' gradually'- decrease Auntil it reaches standstill position, whereuponlthe rotation of shaftVA 2-4fwill`/ gradually' increase i'r`i"-"theopposite direction until -theangle --off displacementof sliaft'lff-tc-r shaft' 4Q isf again-decreasedto aminiinum and-rollers 40 and: T4 liaveltheplanesof-their axis oil-'rotation in alignment. Figi 5f'cle'a'rly-ill'ustratesthrouglf arrows tlietwo'directions-'in which rollers life-andi 'Hl revolve.y Inf-the full-linepositionshownin'Fig 5, thesef-roll'erse areI-at right angles and"-the'-dott'ed line position of roller 40 indicates-one direction of A approach ofi-roller 4'it'o axialV alignment with roll'e'iv'lil'ifv Y Itis clear; therefore;v that the -degreeof rota= tion which sha-ft'r26 impartsto shaft '24 is dependent upon the'grelative alignments Yof thefrollers 4U and *lll and; therefore; continued'irregular varia: tions in -the directionof rotationsof shaft 26'which' is'tran'smitted" toithe' shaft 24""will"be reducedto ammimum.v

Manifestly the Uassembly"justdescribed isadapt` ablaforf manyk uses-and" susceptibl'eto changes vin construction'. Itisj therefore desired tol be limited onlyby the' spirit of the invention and scopeof the appended claims,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letk ters Patent is:

1. A mounting assembly of the character described comprising a rotatable drive shaft; a rotatable driven shaft; and structure operably joining the shafts for transmitting rotative motion from the drive shaft to the driven shaft and 'capable of progressively increasing the speed of rotation of the driven shaft to a predetermined rate comprising a rotatable roller for each shafty respectively, each roller being mounted for revolving motion about an axis perpendicular to its respective axis of rotation, means responsive to the rotation of the drive shaft for rotating its roller as the latter revolves, said drive shaft roller being engageable with the driven shaft roller, structure cooperable with the rotative and revolving action of the driven shaft roller .for simultaneously rotating and revolving said driven shaft roller, and means responsive to the rotative and rev-olving motion of the driven shaft roller 'for rotating said driven shaft.

2. A mounting assembly of the character described comprising a rotatable drive shaft; a rotatable driven shaft; a rotatable roller for each shaft respectively, each roller being disposed for revolving motion about an axis perpendicular to its respective axis of rotation; means responsive to rotation of the drive shaft for rotating its roller as the latter is revolved by the driven shaft, saidl drive shaft roller being in peripheral, frictional contact with the periphery of the driven shaft roller, structure cooperable with the rotative and revolving action of the driven lshaft roller for simultaneously rotating and revolving said driven shaft roller whereby the drive shaft roller seeks a position where the plane of its axis of rotation is in alignment with the plane of the axis of rotation of the driven shaft roller; and means responsive to the rotative and revolving motion of said driven shaft roller for rotating the driven shaft whereby progressively increased speed of rotation of the driven shaft roller as it approaches alignment withthe drive shaft roller is transmitted to said driven shaft.

3. A mounting assembly as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the rollers are revolvable in either direction and the driven shaft roller is rotatable in either direction whereby progressively increased speed of rotation is imparted to thB driven shaft in either direction as the direction of rotation of the drive shaft is altered.

4. A mounting assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the rollers are revolvable in either direction, and the means for revolving and rotating the drive roller and the means for rotating the driven shaft are so formed and disposed as to cause the driven roller to seekalignment with the drive roller as the drive shaft either direction.

5. A mounting assembly of the character described comprising a drive shaft and a driven is rotated in shaft, each mounted for rotation in either direcwhere the plane of its axis of rotation is in alignment with the plane of the axis of rotation of the drive shaft roller in accordance with the direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

6. A mounting assembly `of the kind set forth in claim 5 wherein the drive shaft roller has means for limiting its rotation to one .direction whereby the speed of rotation of the driven shaft is vprogressively decreased to a stationary position and its speed-of rotation is then progresively increased to a predetermined rate in the opposite direction as the direction of rotation of the driven shaft isY reversed.

7. A mounting assembly of the character described comprising a rotatable drive shaft; a driven shaft mounted for rotation in spaced relation to and in substantial axial alignment with the drive shaft; a roller for each shaft respectively, disposed between the proximal ends of the shafts and each being rotatable on an axis perpendicular to and revolvable on an axis in substantial alignment with the axes of rotation of the-shafts; structure joining the drive shaft and its roller and responsive to rotation of the drive shaft in either direction for revolving the drive shaft roller in like directions respectively; means for yieldably holding the rollers in mutual, peripheral, frictional contact whereby revolving motion of the drive shaft roller in either direction imparts revolving motion to the driven shaft roller in corresponding directions; means responsive to the revolving motion of the drive shaft` roller for rotating the same, said last mentioned means having structure for limiting the rotation of the drive shaft roller to one direction whereby .the driven shaft roller is caused to seek at a progressively increasing rate of revolution either of two positions Where the planes of the axes of rotation of the rollers are in alignment and where the drive roller rotates the driven roller; and structure for transmitting said progressively increased rate of revolution into proportionate progressively increased rate of rotation in the driven shaft.

' CARL VINCENT ERICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent: i'

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,701,582 Mengden Feb. l2, 1929 2,417,248 Godet Mar. 11, 1947 2,422,180 Broadbent June 17, 1947 Y FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 376,121 Germany Feb. 12, 1929 

